Hepatitis A is usually a short-lived illness. Still, you should protect yourself by getting vaccinated and following smart sanitary guidelines, especially when traveling.

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Hepatitis A is the more short-lived of the hepatitis viruses. It can be prevented with a vaccine, but if you contract it, it will make you sick for a time. While there is no medication to treat it, unlike other forms of hepatitis, it should run its course relatively fast.

Hepatitis A Statistics

Although infection rates have been declining in the United States, hepatitis A remains a global problem:

For every one person who contracts typhoid or cholera, 100 people will contract hepatitis A.

Hepatitis A incidence is the highest in Africa, South and Central America, Asia (with the exception of Japan), and Greenland. Incidence is the lowest in industrialized nations.

In the United States, hepatitis A infections peaked in 1995 and have been going down ever since.

Within the United States, international travelers have the highest risk for contracting hepatitis A, accounting for 18 percent of exposures.

Hepatitis A Transmission

Hepatitis A is typically acquired by ingesting food or water infected with the virus — food or water that was contaminated by tainted feces. That’s how the virus often spreads: It’s excreted in fecal matter. Hepatitis A is microscopic, so it takes very little to spread the virus.

Poor sanitary conditions can contribute to the spread of hepatitis A. Shaking hands with someone who did not wash their hands after using the bathroom, for example, can spread hepatitis A from person to person. Hepatitis A can also be spread through blood transfusions and through anal or oral sexual contact.

Hepatitis A is contagious for up to 21 days before hepatitis symptoms begin and may continue for several weeks after jaundice — the yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes — appears.

Hepatitis A Prevention

Prevention is key. Getting the hepatitis A vaccine will help minimize your risk of infection. In the United States, the vaccine is recommended for children over the age of one and is administered in two doses. But if you weren’t vaccinated as a child, or if you aren’t sure if you still have immunity, talk to your doctor, especially if you are traveling to a high-risk area.

In addition, be sure to follow smart sanitary guidelines:

Wash your hands before handling food and after using the toilet.

If you are traveling to areas with a high incidence of hepatitis A, avoid fresh fruits and vegetables that may have been washed in contaminated water and avoid drinks with ice — and tap water in general.

If you believe you have been exposed and you were not vaccinated, getting a post-exposure vaccination or infusion of immunoglobulin within two weeks of the exposure may minimize symptoms of infection.

Duration and Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Not everyone who contracts hepatitis A experiences symptoms; some people fight off the virus successfully without ever realizing they were infected. In mild cases of hepatitis A, it can clear up in less than two weeks. In more severe cases, you may experience several months of symptoms; fewer than 10 percent of people have symptoms or relapsing symptoms over six to nine months. Rarely does hepatitis A cause liver failure or death; if it does, it’s in patients over 50 years old and those with other liver problems, like hepatitis B or C.

Hepatitis A symptoms include:

Loss of appetite

Fever

Fatigue

Abdominal pain

Nausea

Discolored urine and stools

Jaundice (often the last symptom to appear)

Treatment for Hepatitis A

Because it is a viral infection, there is no treatment for hepatitis A. Most patients recover on their own. Hepatitis A can interfere with liver functions like cleaning toxins from the bloodstream, converting food into energy, and aiding digestion by making bile. You can help the healing process along by limiting alcohol consumption and maintaining a healthy diet.

A small number of patients might develop fulminant, or acute, hepatitis A and need to be hospitalized. In the most severe cases, a liver transplant may be necessary.

Fortunately, most people who contract hepatitis A fight it successfully and have no lasting liver damage.

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